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The Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC) is part of the National Plant Germplasm System, a network of organizations and people dedicated to preserving the genetic diversity of crop plants.

The OPGC is a joint effort of the USDA-ARS and The Ohio State University's Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. Financial support is provided through the Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative of the ARS.

Mission and Goals

Our mission is to conserve genetically-diverse herbaceous plant germplasm and associated information, conduct germplasm-related research, and encourage the use of germplasm and associated information for research, crop improvement and product development.   

Our goals are to acquire, document, maintain, characterize and distribute herbaceous ornamental genetic resources and associated information for conservation, and to enhance scientific research as well as the floriculture and nursery industry. 

News

  1. Discoveries in Begonia Genome Size

    Apr 13, 2026

    Dr. Jinjin Song, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the research program of Dr. Ma, the Director of the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC), is helping unlock the genetic diversity of one of the world’s most remarkable plant groups: Begonia. In a just-published study, she and the research team analyzed 93 Begonia accessions—representing dozens of species from across the Americas, Asia, and Africa—to better understand how their genome sizes vary.

  2. Graduate Student Takes First Place at the 2026 Plant Sciences Symposium

    Apr 6, 2026

    Freddy Mendez-Urbano, an M.S. student advised by OPGC Director Yu Ma, earned first place in the Graduate Student Poster Presentation at the 2026 Plant Science Symposium at The Ohio State University for his research on improving cold tolerance in begonias. His award-winning poster, “Enhancing Cold Tolerance in Begonia: Germplasm Characterization of Begonia grandis Under Cold Stress,” highlights the integration of traditional and high-throughput phenotyping approaches to evaluate plant responses to chilling and freezing conditions.

  3. Saving Seeds, Growing Scientists

    Mar 18, 2026

    Students from Dublin Coffman High School’s Environmental Science class visited the OPGC on February 25 for a behind-the-scenes look at how plant genetic resources are conserved for the future. During the tour, students explored several aspects of germplasm conservation, including using bumblebees for seed production, seed cleaning and x-ray technology, and plant propagation through tissue culture. The visit also included hands-on activities—students potted pelargonium cuttings and received a pot of Begonia grandis to take home.

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